As Prophet - Chapter 181



Only Noblemtl

Episode 181. Post-war processing

“Hey!”

The memory of the experience was deeper than I thought. Yeo-ui suddenly remembered the times when she had barely escaped with her life. As she pushed toward the center of the camp, it felt as if they were coming to catch her. Is this a common characteristic felt by those who run away? I trembled with the pressure of a huge black flow rushing toward me, covering me and turning the world upside down. Right now, there was no other device to protect my body. Running away was the only way.

“Stop it!”

This is not something you should say while running away. It means that I will run away, so you should stop the enemy. This is a typical line from an inhumane person who thinks of people as tools. I wonder if his own siblings and children think the same way.

But those who are accustomed to the name do the same. Those who cannot ride horses block the path behind Yeo-ui. A group of troops rushed forward. The two armies clashed in the darkness. Even though the weapon is high, it is not easy to block the spears that are stronger than the speed of the mounted cavalry. One attack is followed by another. And then, from somewhere, blind flesh flew and fell on the black group.

“Hit! Push! Don’t leave a single one behind!”

As the Joseon army and the black horde clashed, the Joseon army hesitated. This was because some of the vanguard had fallen to the men’s counterattack. Dalcheon quickly grabbed the reins and ran.

“Get out of the way!”

He ran as if flying through the gap left by the Joseon army and swept his sword. The black group blocking the vanguard fell, clutching their chests.

“Kill him!”

At Dalcheon’s command, the Joseon army pushed back again. Even as they were dying, even though they knew they would not survive, the black horde flew toward Dalcheon like moths to a flame. However, even when they sneaked in alone, they were helpless, but Dalcheon, with the help of cavalry, was truly a god of the battlefield. Every time he stood on horseback and swung his sword, the black horde helplessly dropped their necks. Only after dozens had fallen, did he look with regret at Eunmyeon and his party running away.

There was no room for that on the battlefield. Most of the Yejin army died on the spot, and the few who survived fled east and west.

“Stop! Reorganize your ranks!”

We left the chaotic battlefield and regrouped in an empty field.

“We will form up and pursue the enemy.”

“Form your ranks! Gather!”

“Form your ranks! Gather!”

The order was given, and soldiers gathered, burning with fighting spirit like flames. Several corpses were strewn about the burning battlefield, and horses that could not escape neighed.

The resignation came rushing in.

“Night pursuit is not a good idea. There is a risk of enemy ambush and counterattack.”

“I have to catch that guy… … .”

To the far east, where Dalcheon’s gaze is directed, a pack of dogs can be seen running away.

“There will be another chance. Now is the time to clear the battlefield. If you can collect the lost horses and gather weapons and equipment, it will be a great help to your force.”

“Ugh.”

Dalcheon closed his eyes. It was a somewhat conscious expression of suppressing an impulse.

“Understood. Clear the battlefield.”

“Loyalty!”

“You must take care of the horses first. Don’t forget to collect arrows to rearm your soldiers.”

Dalcheon looked at the riverbank. A ship that had come down from upstream and was slowly drifting downstream without knowing English. If he had mobilized his navy, he could have blocked the enemy’s rear. He lamented that he had too few troops. If he had been able to block one more place, either east or west, he could have annihilated the enemy.

“Whew, do that.”

“Loyalty!”

The training center’s resignation divided some of the soldiers into east and west to stand guard and then cleared the battlefield. The task was to kill the remaining men and capture and interrogate the healthy ones. They also sent about a hundred men to the east to make it look like they were pursuing them.

Dalcheon nodded as he watched him give orders. As expected, as a military commander, his vision was broad. The way he took care of each and every detail was extraordinary.

Dalcheon went to the river. Several corpses were lying on the waterside. The North Korean army approached and killed them with long spears. It was truly an unproductive scene. Millions of stars splendidly decorated the sky above the darkness and death. Dalcheon looked up at the sky and lowered his head.

“Phew.”

Before thinking about what to do next, I consoled the dead. I cut down the wet trees in the grass and set them on fire, and smoke rose thickly. I want to burn incense, but I can’t. I don’t have anything to carry. Even the armor and windbreaker I’m wearing are bothersome. Restricting my body movements feels like a restraint on my freedom.

A few military officers came and asked a few questions and left.

“What should we do with the prisoners?”

“Interrogate them to get more information about the enemy. Then… … Well, prisoners of war are slaves, right? Send them to the rear guard and make them slaves.”

* Jang Ye-won: An office in charge of managing the slave ledger and related lawsuits during the Joseon Dynasty. It was under the Ministry of Justice. Records proving the king’s property, public slaves, and the private property of the yangban class, private slaves, were kept there.

“Loyalty!”

“Many horses have been wounded in battle. What should we do?”

“It’s a life. If you can’t save it, just kill it so it can go in peace.”

“Loyalty!”

The Jinn answered all questions easily. The soldiers who knew this asked him more and more questions.

“Quite a few documents were found in the enemy commander’s tent.”

“First of all, take steps to verify the contents, and then send the verified documents to the Military Headquarters.”

“Loyalty!”

I tried to take a break, but I couldn’t. The moment the location of the real person was confirmed, many questions came rushing in like a wave. There had never been a battle like this before. So, is there even one soldier who has ever done something like post-war processing?

Maintaining power and enriching your allies with weapons and equipment left behind by the enemy is the top priority. Obtaining valuable information and confirming the enemy’s true identity can lead to victory in subsequent battles. By checking the enemy’s equipment, weapons, and equipment, you can check the combat power of each unit and predict the future battle.

Their armor was better than I thought. I thought they were wearing animal skins or something, but they were wearing properly made light armor. It was better than the Joseon army’s. The number of arrows was also much greater. I could guess that the battle with them would lead to a firefight.

* * *

On the way back, Dalcheon stopped the army at the riverside and stopped by the school building. As he was finishing up, the entrance, which was blocked by a plank, was covered with writing that seemed to have been written by children.

Dalcheon’s hand went up to his chest. His heart ached with a sour feeling, as if he had eaten something bad. He closed the door because he had no choice, but he cried when he saw that the children had been waiting for him. He remembered the face of the child who had come and gone today. Dalcheon, who had been caressing the soot written on the wooden board, jumped over the fence. Moonlight shone brightly in the empty yard where no one was. He had not noticed the light when he was moving, but when he stood in the yard, he could see it shining brightly and even the dark shadow of the moon.

“Phew.”

I slowly climbed up the slow slope. In the empty yard where no one had come, only weeds grew. The weeds rose like a poisonous snake raising its head. Dalcheon, who was going inside, suddenly stopped walking.

I wonder if I was lost in my memories, feeling like I had returned to my old hometown. It was too easy. The people I could clearly feel were soldiers. The feeling of them was cold in the back, which was called Daejeon because the main hall was wide.

“Come out!”

The space shook as Dalcheon shouted with his voice. The soldiers waiting on the road below beyond the wall were startled and ran up. As he was about to shout again, the men appeared from behind. They came out one by one from the back of the building, and it seemed that they had gathered in the back where they could not be seen from below.

The Northern Army of Joseon, led by Baek Ui-hyeong. Where did they hide their horses and come out with only their bodies? Why did they come here? Baek Ui-hyeong must be there. I bit my lips in pain. Why would someone close to me be in the enemy’s position?

“Where did Baek-i-hyeong go?”

“He will be out soon.”

Dalcheon waved his hand to stop the shouts of ‘enemy!’ from below. While Dalcheon waited, the Joseon army opened the gates of the school and rushed in. If they had stayed still, dozens of arrows would have already been flying. One battle completely changed the soldiers. They became an army that could even charge into battle.

We also seemed to know the relationship between Baek Ui-hyeong and Dal-cheon. And they must have realized that our actions were treason. Dal-cheon’s face hardened and Baek Ui-hyeong staggered out. One shoulder was wrapped tightly with a rag, indicating that he had been injured. He looked terrible, not knowing where or how he had been injured.

“Are you injured?”

“I was moving around carelessly and got hit by an arrow. What should I do?”

“If I surrender, I don’t know if they’ll spare my life.”

“It sounds like you’re saying it’s not your decision.”

“Prisoners of war are slaves.”

“Are we the enemy?”

“It is a betrayal from within, and it is worse than that.”

“What if we won?”

“It would be the opposite.”

“Can’t you just let them go? If they get caught here, they’re rebels and will be executed immediately.”

Dalcheon hesitated. Is it possible? Is it okay? I just wish it wasn’t here.

“Restore it immediately. Then.”

“Thank you.”

Dalcheon turned around. After walking a couple of steps, he stopped and growled like a tiger.

“What crime have the soldiers committed? What right do you have to turn them into remnants of the rebellion? Return to your original position immediately. If you are seen on the battlefield… … I will not forgive you. Do not show yourself in my sight. Absolutely.”

“I guess… … I’ll do that.”

“If possible, resigning and returning to your hometown is also a way.”

“The mountain… … .”

“The mountains are the only refuge for the abandoned and the marginalized.”

The soldiers who came up after Dalcheon came down turned around ominously. They clearly felt that the enemy was letting go, but no one said anything. This was because it was a school run by Dalcheon, and the students who were studying there had become rebels.

The cavalryman seemed speechless. He must have run away in a hurry, so he couldn’t have taken care of it. How will he get back? He doesn’t have the luxury of worrying about my life.

Dalcheon headed to Hanyangseong around dawn. The judge of Seongonggam came out with his tired body to greet him.

“Thank you for your effort.”

“Thank you for your effort.”

The two said the same thing and laughed faintly. Dalcheon looked around and was satisfied.

“What is the refugee situation of the people?”

“It went smoothly. There was a steady stream of people leaving until midnight, so the gates were left open.”

“Nothing else happened?”

“It is said that the advance guard of the Jurchen came to the bridge and was chased away by the soldiers.”

“Did you catch it?”

“It seems that he was not caught. And then His Majesty came and went.”

“What are you saying?”

“He said I worked hard and thanked me.”

“I thank you too.”

The interceptor force entered Heunginjimun Gate, and a procession of horses carrying prisoners and spoils entered.

“We won’t go far, we’ll just wait here. Let the soldiers rest.”

“Loyalty!”

Dalcheon did not go to the palace, but settled down in a large courtyard behind Dongdaemun. Sajik took great care of him. Dalcheon went in without hesitation, having prepared a room in the temporary shelter used by the soldiers guarding the gate.

“Please inform the military commanders of my return and give a brief report after the battle.”

“Loyalty.”

“There is a lot of work to do. Share it with your subordinates.”

“Loyalty. I’ll take care of it.”

The resignation came and the circumstances remained.

“Why don’t you go?”

“One person must be by the side of the true person.”

“Hehe, take it easy. I’ll rest for a bit.”

There is no need for your body to get tired. If you breathe a few times and circulate the energy throughout your body, fatigue will disappear quickly. Your nerves may have become tired because of the nerve-racking work, such as the work with Baek Ui-hyeong and the one-on-one match with Noh Ho-ra Ha-teuk-a.